Pomegranate

I don't know what's with this magical fruit, but lately - and it's been a couple of years, if not more - I've been practically spammed with this pomegranate fruit and the ideas coming from its surroundings. One pomegranate every now and then in my shopping bag, a group of them in my storage room, the red fruit in my search list for images to work with, pomegranate in my art and poetry quest... Everywhere I looked: pomegranate. It must be a sign, don't you think? And a persistent one. I tried to have as much as I could out of it but it eventually gets enough and one might want to take their fair and healthy breaks format.

Okay. Now, seriously. What's with this fruit? Does it really fight cancer?

Well, some say yes, it may have some potential there and some fight this idea strongly saying there's actually more damage that pomegranate juices can bring. I believe in dosages, though. The right ones; and the right ones for you.

Pomegranates are fruits rich in fibre, vitamins and minerals and low in calories and fat. They also contain protein. I found the nutrition values on Health Line, one of the sites that keep giving information on subjects I find helpful for good-to-know stuff. Here is, the nutrition value for the arils (the red seeds of the pomegranate) in one average (282 gram) pomegranate fruit:

Calories: 234

Protein: 4,7 grams

Carbohydrates: 52 grams

Sugar: 38.6 grams

Fibre: 11.3 grams

Calcium: 28.2 mg, or 2% of the Daily Value

Iron: 0.85 mg, or 5% of the DV

Magnesium: 33.8 mg, or 8%of the DV

Potassium: 666 mg, or 13% of the DV

Phosphorus: 102 mg, or 8% of the DV

Vitamin C: 28.8 mg, or 32% of the DV

Folate (vitamin B9): 107 mcg, or 27% of the DV

Fat: 3.3 grams

It's well known that the debates on whether it may or may not help can go on and on incessantly with their pros and cons, only by taking these values into consideration. One will say that it contains sugar and sugar is bad for people on treatment or people who have been diagnosed with cancer, if not for people in general. I say it can be as well seen as a trap for those cells, like a Trojan horse offering to kill those bad guys spreading and killing the healthy cells. I mean, you are asked to offer cancer cells One Trojan Horse not a thousand!

Okay, I am getting a little poetic here, which is not allowed. Health isn't a joke, it's something real and one has to be careful not to play with serious matters. So, how can a pomegranate help you for real?

It's well known that one thing leads to another, that one disease comes with the risk of getting sensitive to many other issues, that treatments themselves get to weaken the body of a patient, some of them ending up suffering from several other diseases or temporary affections such as inflammations, heart disease and urinary conditions. It may also have anti-microbial properties, it contains a large dose of flavonoids and antioxidants which are compounds that "help protect the cells of your body from the damage caused by free radicals." (source: www.healthline.com ). They have a role in type 2 diabetes control, lower cholesterol and blood pressure.

The same source tells us that in one led study, people with heart disease were given one cup (220 ml) of pomegranate juice daily for 5 days. Chest pain was reduced and certain biomarkers in the blood suggested a protective effect on heart health. But it needed 5 days to do so, and perhaps having more juice for a longer period of time may not be the best idea. Just like any cure and any treatment session, there must be a starting point and an ending point, clear and well-set rules that may be at times strict like, you "drink this in the morning, fifteen minutes before breakfast, then you have breakfast and keep it like this for 5 or 10 days then you stop for 5 days in a row and get back to it following this pattern for three or six months." It does depend on each particular situation and each individual as every single body belongs to a certain, let's say, implemented values over time and the individual inhabiting it must know what works and what doesn't work according to the data contained by their organism in relation to their environment. That is why, sometimes changes are good. They can be temporary or simply radical and helpful to the top, leading to actual miraculous improvements.

This fruit also improves gut health and digestion, and keeps bowel diseases at bay. Added to your daily diet it will assist in regulating blood flow. Weight loss issues? Well, when you are dealing with cancer, losing weight is inevitable and probably the last thing you are looking for. You might just want to stay in good health and enjoy your life more, make some good quality of your days. And this is precisely what is this fruit helping you. Consumed with other fruit in shakes and smoothies, fresh juices and even jello made of fresh fruit juice cornstarch, is a delight to your body. And when you are properly balanced and energised you are more likely to attend any show you want or any other life event, engage in things you always wanted to be able to make, or you just discovered they are utterly helpful to you.

Giving yourself the satisfaction of winning the battle against all odds making of your life a futile existence is what you should do. And that is probably by laughing to death's face saying: "Hey, I am enjoying this nice cup of fresh pomegranate juice that will eventually kill disease, help me flush out the poison and jump around like a happy Peter Rabbit who found home... or even better, like the Evil Easter Rabbit having fun with his Rotten Eggs famous shows.

And it does matter if you are young, first in spirit then in body and if you are willing to help yourself out of an obnoxious state of mind induced by a hard-to-take reality, true, but bear in mind: with the right people by your side you can make it to enjoy the rest of your life.

Keep in mind, if you are allergic or if there is any other intolerance to this fruit you notice, there are other options, just as helpful and good for you. you can make it with bananas and lemons or orange juice to which you add a little amaranth seeds to obtain a fair change in your diet that can support you just as well, if not even better.

The idea is, when you have to fight cancer, you just have to prepare yourself to fight it all, everything bad that comes with it. Urinary problems, articulation pain, lack of taste for any food and lack of care for your own self and what you are asked to do which is, at times, translated as apathy and depression, and any other loss that may have you upset with yourself, the world and God or anyone else responsible for what you're going through.

I say, regardless of your choice of diet you know is good, try to enjoy it. Let it help you. You might not feel the actual good taste of food, because of the treatment and your body's reactions to it but your brain is such a powerful tool that you can have yourself connected to the pleasure of having a light healthy meal and a stroll in the park and later, in the evening, maybe a cup of aromatic fresh refreshing tea (like oregano tea said to be very helpful with cancer problems) and a reading session or watch a show you like, the way you feel comfortable and fulfilled with. And don't forget: it's not only the diet, it's your lifestyle. I happened to know people who could make the best out of the worst. Not as many as I would have probably loved to, but I did meet them and it was an honour and a privilege. As short a time that may have been spent with them it was time well spent, learning something useful and letting myself inspired in a good way I hope can serve you well.